Smoothies have a prominent place in the great pantheon of foodstuffs that constitutes my diet. I buy bulk bags of frozen mangoes from Sam's Club that make my car's suspension protest in agony and I'm rarely without at least four (and often six or more) kinds of fruit on death row in my kitchen. My appreciation of the smoothie as a concoction of ambrosial value, therefore, is not in question, and in fact I've become something of a snob when it comes to restaurant-produced versions. I'm well aware that most of these lesser amalgams contain sugar (in one form or another) as a unique ingredient (as opposed to the fructose occurring naturally in the fruit), although I still expect them to be primarily fruit-
based.
Enter, then, Taco Bell's Frutista Freeze, the newest (and most pushed in recent weeks by uninspired-yet-interested-in-staying-employed drive-through employees) product on the summer menu. In a bit of devious slight-of-hand, the chain incorporated "fruit" into the name of the drink (phonetically, if not in exact spelling) and serves it with strawberries on top (not to mention the advertisements are festooned with whole strawberries rolling around the cup), implying some sort of fruit-based blend. While waiting in the drive-through line the other night, however, I noticed the colorful cardboard placard near my car admitted in small letters in the corner that the Frutista Freeze "contains no fruit juice." Out of curiosity, then, I checked up on the product on Taco Bell's Web site. Sure enough, the freeze is essentially a fruit-flavored Icee with a strawberry "mixture" (likely containing as much sugar as strawberries) on top. Its nutritional content is disappointing, with a 16-oz. Freeze containing almost 100 calories and 20 grams of sugar (about one-and-a-half tablespoons) more than a can of soda. Normally I'd write this off as a "treat" (the way my occasional Coke Icee is) and forget about it, but I'm concerned (and annoyed) that the marketing angle will trick people into thinking they're actually consuming something semi-healthy (and more importantly that parents will buy them for their kids thinking they're better than soda). Grrr.
For the record, my smoothie recipe is very easy (and healthy). One cup low-fat or non-fat yogurt. One handful of frozen mango cubes as a base (rather than ice). Another handful of the fruit of your choice (I usually have fresh strawberries or bananas or frozen blueberries or blackberries on hand, and last week I used the kiwi that wasn't ripe enough to eat by itself). Enough orange juice to make it blend. Maybe a dash of vanilla if I'm feeling adventurous. No extra sugar or ice. Blend until smooth. The end.
Labels: annoyance, food, social commentary
Posted at 1:16:00 PM. |
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